Altoids Survival Kit

Step 3 Putting in some other stuff

For this part get your hot spark, matches, and candle and place them in the side of the tin that doesn't have the trash bag. Then put the hooks, fishing line, match striker on top. Place the cotton balls on top of that. Place one end of the cord in the tin and close.

Comments

[bam151515]

thats brilliant

[thepelton]

Can I suggest a book? "Best Tasting Edible Wild Plants of the Rocky Mountains" by Seebeck.

[fallenshell]

Another option is to dip the matches in clear nail polish the abrasive lighting surface will strip it away during lighting. If you dip one half then the other after it dries the entire match becomes water proofed. Clipping them in half saves space and keeps them useful as well.

[J@50n]

or dip them in wax to water proof them.

[Iridium7]

that is true but you will only have x amount of matches and x amout of chances to light fire. What I do is just bring a lighter and I can get thousands of chances out of that

[J@50n]

that what i got im my altoids kit i got an instructable too!

[Zetheros]

well, I sometimes have trouble lighting them, sometimes the red and white stuff just crumbles off =/

[MrLarryMan]

That is because they are old matches. Or they absorbed a little moisture at some point in time. If you really want matches then spend the money (<$5) on UCO's weatherproof matches. Damn things can't be put out in water when lit. Plus you get extra strikers. I also have a mini bic lighter and a small fire steel

http://www.lifeviewoutdoors.com/hiking-and-camping-gear/firestarting/lighters-and-matches/uco-stormproof-matches.html

You can also opt for this sparker/tender kit. Works with one hand.

http://www.lifeviewoutdoors.com/hiking-and-camping-gear/firestarting/kits/spark-lite-one-handed-fire-starting-kit.html

Have fun and "Get your Smokey on"

[Zetheros]

You should wrap the matches in a saran wrap, if they get wet you're doomed.
Also carry a small pocketknife as well, and carry a lot more cord =)

[overdrive7960]

dipping matches in a light coat of paraffin wax would be a good way waterproof them. then scratch the wax off the tip and light.

[Oorspronklikheid]

Actually it's not that difficult to lite wet matches. If you really want too you can probably coat them in petroleum jelly.

[anadentone]

awesome. It keep about 4 altoids survival tins in my car: one with a couple of dollars and some pocket change,the second with a mini sewing kit,a third with mini notebook paper,pen,pencil and eraser (dunno why but good for phone numbers i guess) and a survival kit .I keep the survival kit in a ziploc bag tho.Inside the bar has snack sizebag holding about 5 vaseline coated cotton balls. (my old PE teacher use to be in the army,he says its good as a firestarter)

[swedishhatfaction]

Haha I see you have your trusty BSA steel and flint "hot sparks". I still have mine and use it from time to time. Out of all the slogans, oaths, mottoes, and admonitions I had to memorize on the trail to Eagle rank, none stuck out more than "Be Prepared" which is what a survival kit is all about. Great job.

[flio191]

something you could add to your survival kit is: take an old t-shirt and cut it up into small pieces, put em in an empty altoids box, poke some holes in the top, close it, then bake the whole thing, or just throw it in a campfire; be sure to take it out before the thing catches fire, but once the shirt is nice and toasty, you can use it later as an easy fire-starting material. of course you could keep newspaper with you... but this is just a nice addition to a survival altoid box collection...

[stick1985]

the shirt needs to be 100% cotton

[Mock26]

Another option for the matches is to dip the tips and about half of the stick quickly into some melted wax (like from a large candle) before you put them in saran wrap. The wax is an added layer of water protection and it scraps off easily with your fingernail before you light it.